Front loading police checks and meds etc

**TimStaples** · 04-07-2009, 06:12 PM

Even though DIAC website advises against it you can still submit Health check and character check right? OK, so seen Panel doc list no danger, but website seemed to suggest police checks were in Aus, that can't be right, I probably read it wrong, can anyone advise on police check process for a 175 application from UK eg what type of check, a website link, how long it takes etc??

Appreciate any help kind people!!

Thanks

TS

**ericfish** · 04-07-2009, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by TimStaples

Even though DIAC website advises against it you can still submit Health check and character check right? OK, so seen Panel doc list no danger, but website seemed to suggest police checks were in Aus, that can't be right, I probably read it wrong, can anyone advise on police check process for a 175 application from UK eg what type of check, a website link, how long it takes etc??

Appreciate any help kind people!!

Thanks

TS

Association of Chief Police Officers Vacancies

All the details are there, prices, times etc. Very simple process...print off the form (you can't send form online), add a bit of proof of identity and a photo, and send it off with a cheque. Depending how muchyou pay it takes a couple of weeks and they send a nice certificate with a list of all your previous wrong doings

**TimStaples** · 04-07-2009, 06:30 PM

Thks EricFish cold be a long report haha

Oh, and front loading is still a good idea for both health and police checks??

**ericfish** · 04-07-2009, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by TimStaples

Thks EricFish cold be a long report haha

Oh, and front loading is still a good idea for both health and police checks??

Can't comment on front loading sorry, not something i know too much about. Its a risk simply cos your visa might theoretically get thrown out at the first step, in which case you pay out good money for meds and stuff for nothing.
Do know the police check and health stuff is only valid for a year, so if there is any risk your whole visa application is going to take longer then its worth waiting.
Either way the police check only takes a couple of weeks, and the meds only take a couple of weeks too depending which doc you go too. Never heard of anyone waiting long for an appointment, its the processing at the other end that takes time.

**deb8181** · 04-07-2009, 07:54 PM

Hi Tim
I got a case officer two weeks ago for my 175 skilled visa application. Submitted it June 2008 and it was lodged in October 2008.
Case officer asked us to do police checks and meds. Used the website that Ericfish suggested and sent off police checks over a week ago. Not heard anything yet but it takes around 10 working days. Last Monday went for blood tests and chest x-rays at the local hospital on the advice of the panel doctor in our area and now are waiting for the hospital to send the results to the panel doctor and then we have another appointment at the doctors on the 13 July for the rest of the medical.
The doctors surgery sent us a leaflet on the immigration medical process and apparently you can have your results sent via courier for an extra £55 - £60 which takes only 48 hours to receive at the DIAC otherwise it would be two weeks.

Debbie

**ali** · 04-07-2009, 11:07 PM

Front loading is a risk and as applications are taking longer it is probably more of a risk than it was previously. PC's and Medicals are valid for 1 year. Additionally, unless this has changed, your visa isn't granted from the day they tell you, it's granted from the date of your medical or PC whichever was the earliest. e.g. We had our medicals in May 06 (we didn't front load), Visa granted in July 06, our initiall date of entry to validate was May 07 (which corresponded to 12 months after our meds), so effectively we didn't have 12 months to validate but 10. Something to consider as I say with applications running more slowly and if you haven't sold the house.

Ali

**bentkitty** · 05-07-2009, 12:23 AM

Agree with Ali it is a risk. We were 175 CSL (accountant), believe so is Tim, and we did not frontload. We got CO appointed in March, who asked for the meds and police checks to be submitted within 70 days. Police checks took two weeks, plus a few days to get to our Agent in Melbourne, the meds were longer, they were received by the HOC two weeks after CO asked for them but then we waited for 4 weeks for them to be assessed by the HOC. Still the meds and PCs were all submitted to the CO within about a month and a half of him asking for them. We informed him that everything was now complete, but he did not go back to our file until the 70 days were up. On day 71 we got our visa grant.

Personally unless you are in a major rush to get over to Australia and are confident that you can make the move very swiftly after the visa grant I would wait for the CO to be appointed first. If you have the meds done now but dont get a CO appointed for 6 months say then you will only have 6 months and less within which to go to Australia to 'validate' the visa (which by the way can be just a 'holiday' type visit - you have 5 years to 'settle' in the country so there is a bit of flexibility). That is assuming the CO does not ask for additional information on the rest of your application. If they do, that may take out another month or two out of your timeline, so you can see why it's a big risk.

Not frontloading essentially cost us 70 days, we got our visa granted in May (date of entry on it is 12 months from March - when we had our meds done. ie we have to enter Australia by March 2010 to 'validate' the visa, or we lose it). If we had frontloaded we would have been granted the visa immediately after getting the CO appointed in March.

Sorry for the dissertation, hope it helps!!

**sarahnorman** · 05-07-2009, 11:33 AM

Hi
I'm currently applying for my visa (856) and have to send my finger prints off to the FBI for clearance. I have to send a pre paid envelope with them for the results. I live in Australia and wondered how people had manged to get a pre paid envelope with USA dollar stamps on it? Or did they do it some other way? Got me baffled!

thanks in advance. Sarah

**ali** · 05-07-2009, 09:48 PM

Sarah, they may have international paid for envelopes or something like that.

**RobRat** · 06-07-2009, 02:30 AM

Originally Posted by sarahnorman

Hi
I'm currently applying for my visa (856) and have to send my finger prints off to the FBI for clearance. I have to send a pre paid envelope with them for the results. I live in Australia and wondered how people had manged to get a pre paid envelope with USA dollar stamps on it? Or did they do it some other way? Got me baffled!

thanks in advance. Sarah

Hi Sarah
You do not have to send a prepaid envelope the FBI will mail the results back to you.
On the outside of the envelope write " Urgent Needed for Immigration by ------- "
give them at least 2 weeks. also write this on the bottom of your request form.
I would send them express mail.
They will show up on time.
Have you had your fingerprints done yet? The AFP will scalp you for doing fingerprints.
The local police would not do them here in WA. It is legal to do them yourself but its a risk if they are not right. whatever you do be sure the prints are inside the lines on the card. We printed our forms on cardstock and all went well.